Slow Decay (novel): Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Story SMW

|image          = Slow Decay.jpg

|series         = [[BBC Torchwood novels]]

|number         = 3  

|main character = [[Jack Harkness|Jack]], [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]], [[Toshiko Sato|Tosh]], [[Owen Harper|Owen]], [[Ianto Jones|Ianto]]

|featuring     = Rhys Williams

|featuring2    = Jimmy Mitchell{{!}}Mitch

|featuring3    = Janet (Everything Changes){{!}}Janet

|enemy         = [[Scotus]], [[Alien tapeworm]]s

|setting        = [[Cardiff]], mid [[2000s]]

|writer        = Andy Lane

|read by        = [[Burn Gorman]]

|publisher     = BBC Books  

|release date   = 11 January 2007

|format         = Hardcover Book, 251 Pages, 20 Chapters

|isbn           = ISBN 0-563-48655-4  

|prev          = Border Princes (novel)  

|next           = Something in the Water (novel)

'''''Slow Decay''''' was the third release in the [[BBC Torchwood novels|BBC ''Torchwood'' Novels]] series.

When [[Torchwood Three|Torchwood]] track an energy surge to a [[Cardiff]] [[nightclub]], the team finds the police are already at the scene. Five teenagers have died in a fight, and lying among the bodies is an extraterrestrial device. Next morning, they discover the corpse of a [[Weevil]], its [[face]] and [[neck]] eaten away, seemingly by [[human]] [[teeth]]. And on the streets of Cardiff, an ordinary woman with an extraordinary hunger is attacking people and eating her victims.

The job of a lifetime it might be, but working for Torchwood is putting big strains on [[Gwen Cooper|Gwen]]'s relationship with Rhys. While she decides to spice up their love life with the help of alien [[technology]], Rhys decides it's time to sort himself out — better music, healthier food, lose some weight. Luckily, a friend has mentioned Doctor [[Scotus]]'s [[Scotus Clinic|weight-loss clinic]]...

== Plot ==

 

 

* Jack lists examples of small talk: [[fashion]], [[politics]], [[house]] prices, [[sport]].

* Torchwood investigate an incident at a nightclub off [[St Mary Street]]. Five bodies are found with [[Folding knife|folding knives]]. The victims are [[Craig Sutherland]], [[Rick Dennis]], [[Geraint Morris]], [[Dai Morris]] and [[Idris ab Hugh]]. Gwen theorises that there are three locals and two students from [[Cardiff University]].

* Rhys includes swapping [[Radio 2]] for [[Radio 1]] among the radical changes he needs to make.

* Gwen cooked Rhys [[Chicken|chicken breasts]] marinated in [[lime juice]] and [[orange juice]] and wrapped in [[parma ham]] with [[asparagus]] and [[parmesan]]. To drink they had [[white wine]] and for dessert was a [[coffee]] [[crème brûlée]]. They usually made do with [[pasta]] in sauce.

* Rhys and Gwen had [[CD]]s of [[The Flaming Lips]] and [[Suzanne Vega]], which included the track ''[[Luka]]''.

* The [[Red Dragon Centre]] is in Cardiff.

* Torchwood Three uses [[Teflon bullet]]s and [[Glock 17]].

* Rhys goes shopping in [[ASDA]].

* [[St Edmunds Pippin]], [[Mère de Ménage]], [[Catshead]], [[Ribston Pippin]], [[Ashmead's Kernel]], [[Mannington's Pearman]], [[Lodgemore Nonpareil]], [[Devonshire Quarrenden]], [[Cox's Orange Pippin]] and [[Golden Delicious]] are varieties of [[apple]].

 

* The plotline of medical malpractice and treatment using an alien parastite is similar to the ''Torchwood'' television story ''[[Reset (TV story)|Reset]]''.

=== Audio release ===

* The story was released as an audiobook on 3x CD read by [[Burn Gorman]].

* The audiobook is also available as a download from the [[AudioGo]] website.

== Continuity ==

* Jack asks Ianto to make a call to [[Jubilee Pizza]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Everything Changes (TV story)|Everything Changes]]'')

* Tosh knows its a touchy subject to talk about what happened to [[Torchwood One|Torchwood London]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'')

 

</gallery>''

== External links ==

* {{Penguin|1073900/torchwood-slow-decay/}}

* {{whoniverse|twn03|Slow Decay}}

[[Category:Weevil novels]]

[[Category:BBC Books novels with audiobook readings]]